Flexible telescoping guide



July 7, 1936. M. c. DE WOLFE FLEXIBLE TELESCOPING GUIDE Filed May 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Shet l A TTORNEYS.

y 7, 1936- M. c. DE WOLFE 2 FLEXIBLE TELESCOPING GUIDE Filed May 12, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 7, 1936 means UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE TELESCOPING GUIDE Mark C. De Wolfe, Oakland, Calif.

Application May 12, 1934, Serial No. 725,407

" 7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in flexible telescoping guides or tracks, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a flexible and telescoping guide or track which is designed for work of various sorts. The track can be supported by a mast, boom, or tower, and the mast can be swung into different angular positions for positioning the guide at the desired place- The legs of the guide are extensible and provide a runway for a hammer, cage or skip which can be varied in length in accordance with the work being done.

The legs of the-guide comprise telescoping tubular members enclosing cables and the raising or lowering of these cables will change the length of the legs. It is obvious that the legs can be fully extended and the cables further extended so that the cables will project below the bottoms of the legs and the weights carried by the cables will come to rest on a supportingsurface. For example in using the device in water the legs could be extended to their full lengths and then the'cables could be further extended until the weights would rest upon the ground.

The device is also designed to drive piling in water or on dry ground, and one form of the device makes use of a guide ring disposed at the bottom of the legs for holding the lower end of the piling in position. Lugs are also carried by the legs and in turn support strong backs.

The device is simple in construction and is durable and efiicient forthe purpose intended.

The device can be of permanent construction, or it may be made portable.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which i Figure l is a side elevation of the device showing it supported by a boom, mast, etc.;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 22 of Figure l; V

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the guide or track;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Figure 5, and shows a modified form of the invention;

' Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a section along the line 1-1 of Figure 4; and.

Figure 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

In carrying out my invention, I make use. of 5 a boom I which is pivoted at 2 in a turn table 3, which in turn is rotatably carried by a support 4. The support 4 may be placed on the ground, or it may form a part of a movable body such as a crane or a barge. It is obvious that 10 the turn table 3 may be of the large type having a much greater radius between its center and the edge of the turn table than that shown in Figure 1. The turn table is of course supported by rollers not shown in order to give freedom of 15 movement.

The boom I can be swung into any desired angular position and may be supported in this position by top lift or boom lines 5 which are passed around pulleys 6 disposed near the top of the boom. The lines 5 may be guide lines anchored to the ground or other support, or the lines maybe attached to a reel, not shown, for permitting the swinging of the boom into difierent positions. ,Figure 2 shows the pulleys 6 as being disposed on a shaft 1, and this shaft extends transversely through the boom and the pulleys are placed on'the outside of the boom. Straps 8 or other suitable supports are secured to the boom and the' shaft 1 is carried thereby.

The invention comprises an extensible guide or track consisting of two legs A and B. These legs are formed of telescoping tubes 9, l0 and H.: The tube In is slidable within the tube 9, and in like manner the tube II is slidable within the tube ID. The toptubes 9 are interconnected by headers l2 and the sleeve fillers l3 are placed in the tops of the tubes 9 and have bores [4 for receiving guide cables Hi. In like manner if desired the filler sleeves l6 and I! may be mounted in the tops of the tubes l0 and II. Guide cables l5 pass through the sleeves l6 and The lower ends of the guide cables are connected to weights l8, and these weights have reduced portions l9 receivable in the lower ends of the tubes H. The reduced portions l9 abut againstsleeves 20 carried by the lower ends of the tubes II.

It will be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that guide cables l5 are passed over pulleys 2|, and may be wrapped around a drum or spool indicated diagrammatically at 22 in Figure 1. It will be seen that the winding up of the cables IS on the drum 22 will shorten the over-all length of the legs A and B. Moreover, the lengthening of the cables will permit the legsA and B to lengthen until they are fully extended; Thellegs, when fully extended, can be rigidly secured together by screws 23 which are passed through the tubes and through the sleeves. Two screws are used at each'joint in order that they will be placed on either side of'the guide cable, and the screws to provide a smooth guiding surface throughout" the entire lengths of the legs; 1

are flush with the outersurfaces of the tubes.

The lower ends of the tubes are rounded in order The shaft: 1 carriesaplurality of on the portionof the shaft disposed between the sides of the boom I, and these pulleysare'used for; supporting cables which, in turn perform different duties. I have shown a cable 2 5 passed over the center pulley 24, and this cable is-guided between idler pulleys 26 which are carriedby the header bars l2, see Figures 2 and 3, The cable is connected to aha mmer 2T'which. has U-shaped'guide members 28 thatstrad'dle the legs A and B; The upper edges oi'the U-shaped guides28 are flared outwardly so that theraising oi the hammer from the tubular portion Hi to the tubular portion 9, for-example, can be read ily erfected, the outwardly flared upper edges of the guides 28." riding over the rounded lower edges of the tubes 9. The same is true when the hammer israised' from the tubes ll to the tubes Hi. In Figure 1, I. show the cable as'being passed'around adrum 29,: and the drum is diagrammatically shown becauseit forms no part of my invention.

The cable 25 may support other devices than the hammer 21, such auskip or cage. 1 have indicated a hammer as one example, and this hammer could be used for driving piling; not shown, In case it is desired to reinforce the legs A and B' for holding them in spaced relation throughout their entire 7 lengths, I" provideia strong back that is removablysecured 'to lugs 3|, which in turnrhave sleeve portions 32 i that encircle the tubes in. As many strong backs mit the hammer 21 or other device to pass as desired may be disposed along the legs and the shape of the strong backs" is such'as to perthereby.

- I show a modified Iormoi the'invention inj Figures 4 toj8 inclusive. 'In this form the legs A and B consist of tubular sectionst, I0- and I, as shown in theform already described. The

principal difference of the second fOrmis the provision of lugs that extend from'the tubular sections. The tubes 9 have lugs 33 disposed mid way between their ends, and have lugs 34 po'si-- 'tioned near the bottoms of the tubes. The tubes F0 have lugs 35 disposed'near their bottomsand in like manner the tubes II have lugs 36' placed at theirlower edges. 'Flexibl check-lines-3l connect the lugs 34 and 3 5 tog'ether, and similar check lines 38 connect the lugs 35 and 36 together. The check lines permit the full exten .sion' of thetubular sections and act as stops for preventing theentire removal of the sections from each other. In other words; the check lines take the placeof the screws 23, and per mit theready foreshorteni'ng of thelegs A and B 1 when the cables l5 are wound upon ithe drum 29. The guide ring indicated generally at 39 and shown in Figures 4 and 8 is carried by the cables l5 and bears against the bottoms of the. legs A and B. The guide ring can be made of any design and I have shown it as comprising two members 40 and 4! pivoted at 42, and providing pulleys 24 j 'afe' auomat'ically at 49, and are passedover idler;

"order to permit' the'tubes to. be adjusted and 4 to 8 inclusive.

aspace 43 for receiving a piling 44. A numberfof openings 45 are providedin the ends of V the'members 40 and 4| disposed opposite tothe' pivot 42, and; a pin may be inserted through ,the aligned openings, 45 for varying the size 5 hammer to pass thereby, or any other object supported by the cable 25. I backs as desired may be used; 7

V -The entire guide'can be inclined'at an angle As many strong when it is desired to drive piling into the ground at a given angle, and. to this-end the guy lines (not: shown) may be secured to any of the j lugs 33 to 36 inclusive, and these guy. lines at tachedf w a supportmg object so that" the guides .will' be held at the desired angle orbatter. It will be noted from the drawing that the lugs 33: tof35 inclusive are secured to the outer sur- *iaces-of the. tubes S'Ia'nd 'lll'and do not'mtere fere with the vU-shapedig'uides 28. The lugs 36' are. passed through slots; 41 in. the tubes II. and are'welded to the fillersleeves 48,"disposed in the bottom of the tubes.

u The device can be used forall types of work 7 and the cables l5 can be extended below the bottomsoi the tubes ll. so that-the weights l8 'or the guide ring39 rests uponv the ground. Alsov the length of the guides can bealtered atwilh Material supply'lines 48. are shown in Figure 1,. and these extend from a drum indicated dipulleys 'can'iedbyrthe top'ot the boom. i.

The supply lines 48 areus'ed' for. lifting material 7 the pileswhlch are to into position; such as driven intothe ground.-. a

cable 5| andthe' cable is .passedover one of th pulleys and is then wrapped around a drum' i=2. Additional openings can be provided in the tubes ll and t0 for;receiving the screws 23 in The header 12 is supported hi it thus vary the overall length of the legs or tracks. The'top section consisting otYthe tubes 9 can be used byfitseli' it des ired withoutfthe tuba" l0 and H1 The cables I5 passing over the spacedpulleys. prevent the'guide legs A and B from whipping in the wind and becoming tangled. The screws 23 may also be used for connecting the tubes together in, adjusted po'si Y I tion in the form of the device shown in Figures While I have shown only the preferred forms of myinvention. itshould be understood that variouschanges or modificationsmay be'mad'e V within the scope of the appendedclaimswithout departing from the spirit. at the. invention;

Iclaim;

1.. A telescop' for-locking the tubes. in adjusted position, guide cablesdisposed within-and extending through- 7 out the lengths of the legs; weightscarried by the ends of the cables; and means for extending the cables below the bottoms of the legs so that the weights can. rest on-a supporting surface.

.2. A telescoping-guidecomprising a; pair 01' 75.

guide comprising a pair of 1' i legs, telescoping tubes forming each leg,:'means tubular telescoping members supported at their upper ends and free to swing at their lower ends, guide cables extending through the members and having supporting portions at their lower ends for normally abutting the lower ends of the members, means for varying the length of the portions of the cables in the members for varying the overall length of the members, said means also being able to extend the cables beyond the lower ends of the members, the supporting portions constituting weights and designed to rest on the ground for holding the exposed portions of the cables projecting below the members in alignment with the members.

3. A telescoping guide comprising a pair of telescoping legs, a header securing the tops of the legs together, means for supporting the header in a desired position, filler sleeves mounted in the legs, guide cables mounted in the legs and extending through the sleeves, said cables supporting the bottoms of the legs, and means for varying the lengths of the cables for varying the lengths of the legs.

4. A telescoping guide comprising a pair of telescoping legs, a header securing the tops of the legs together, means for supporting the header in a desired position, filler sleeves mounted in the legs, guide cables mounted in the legs and extending through the sleeves, said cables supporting the bottoms of the legs, and means for varying the lengths of the cables for varying the lengths of the legs, and strong backs adjustable along the legs for holding the legs in spaced relation.

5. A pair of extensible guides each comprising a plurality of telescoping tubular members, a header connecting the guides together, lugs carried by the members, and flexible check lines interconnecting the lugs for limiting the extension of the 5 legs beyond a predetermined length, and strong backs removably secured to the lugs for spacing the guides from each other.

6. An extensible guide comprising parallel tracks formed of telescoping tubular members, a header connected to the tops of the tracks, guide cables extending through the tubular members, a guide ring supported by the cables and being disposed at the bottom of said tracks, an object movable between the tracks, U-shaped guides carried by the object and being slidable along the tracks, said object being designed to bear against the top of a pile, the other end of the pile being passed through the ring.

'7. An extensible guide comprising parallel tracks formed of telescoping tubular members, a header connected to the tops of the tracks, guide cables extending through the tubular members, a guide ring supported by the cables and being disposed at the bottom of said tracks, an object movable between the tracks, U-shaped guides carried by the object and being slidable along the tracks,

said object being designed to bear against the top of a pile, the other end of the pile being passed through the ring, lugs carried by the tubular members, and flexible check lines connected to the lugs for limiting the extension of the tracks.

MARK C. DE WOLFE. 

